<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Hell and Back by woodentarantula</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27143027">Hell and Back</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/woodentarantula/pseuds/woodentarantula'>woodentarantula</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hades (Video Game 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, canon typical voilence, hypnos is here for like one pico second my apologies bby, this is so tiny but i had to get it out of my system, zagthan make me emo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:49:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>831</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27143027</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/woodentarantula/pseuds/woodentarantula</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Please, Than, do not speak ill of my mother. True, I’ve yet to meet her but she is my mother all the same.” Zagreus trying his best to keep his temper, trying his best not to be like his father.</p><p>“And all the same she left. I suppose now you’re taking after her.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Thanatos &amp; Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>101</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hell and Back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I got this game like four days ago but the HadesGame BrainRot sets in FAST</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After the dead, still are of Tartarus and the acrid sulfur smell of Asphodel, the Elysian fields were quite literally a fresh breath. To see an area of the Underworld lush with green trees was a treat when all Zagreus knew were rot and ash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now he gazes, half-dazed at the expanse of sweet green, dotted with purples and pinks. The sight was well worth the stride to her here, but it’s not the surface yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And when he turns away is when he sees Thanatos. With his grey cloak and sunken eyes, he’s gloomier looking that all the shades wrapped in emerald robes. It feels like years since Zagreus has seen his childhood friend and it hurt to hear himself accused of walking away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your family is here.” Thanatos says, knuckles white on his scythe’s staff. “Someone who abandoned you cannot be better that what you already have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, Than, do not speak ill of my mother. True, I’ve yet to meet her but she is my mother all the same.” Trying his best to keep his temper, trying his best not to be like his father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And all the same she left. I suppose now you’re taking after her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come now, Than, don’t be like-” but Zagreus can’t even finish his thought before Thanatos is gone in a green flash. Yet the cut of his words remain, hurting more than any killing blow he’s faced yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zagreus still has a ways to go till the surface and ever still he doesn’t make it far, quickly finding his own death and coming up for air back in the house. He shakes his head of the red river Styx and manages to shake off little else. As he passes by, he startles Hypnos awake and things to speak with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hypnos, have you any idea why Than would be quite mad at the moment?” Careful to keep his cards close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, gee, yeah, I think he’s just real torn up about you wanting to leave. You know, he’s not really close to anyone but you and me - not even our other siblings! I think he’s just real stressed, what with feeling like he’s being abandoned by half his friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s the word again. “I’m not abandoning him! Or, rather, I don’t mean to. I just don’t want to feel like I’m living a lie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I know, I know. I didn’t say it made sense - not much does with my brother, you can ask any mortal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zagreus sighs but manages a fond smile for Hypnos. “Yeah I know. Thanks, Hyp. And, hey look, got you something.” He presents the bottle of nectar flat on his palm like an apple to a horse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, wowie, Zag you’re so thoughtful. You know you really shouldn't give these in your lord father's home, he'll have your head and mine if we're caught though I still appreciate it as I can't quite really leave my post even for a <em>moment</em> and-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It isn’t till three more tries later that Zagreus manages to get back up to Elysium and it’s almost immediately that he sees Thanatos again, like he was waiting for him to show up. Zagreus opens his mouth to say something to that extent but Thanatos beats him to it, raising his scythe and summoning the golden sigils that bring in the vengeful shades. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about a little match?” Thanatos asks before casting a wide circle and instantly taking out a few lumbering soldiers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Zagreus smirks, taking up the heart-seeking boy and lining up a wide-shot, catching three spreader witches mid-cast. Another quick volley takes them all down. He then spins round to find a few more, tinged lavender and marked for death by Thanatos’s hands. Zagreus pulls back the bow’s string as long as he can manage, aiming straight for the witch’s eye and it sinks in with a thick sound, the shade falling to the grass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kill steal,” Thanatos mutters but there’s a levity in it that makes Zagerus hope. He can’t see his friend’s face for the heavy hood, but it prays there’s a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zagreus replies with a snide “Better be quicker next time” and lights behind Thanatos, sinking another volley into the spokes of a few tiny flame wheels, sending them careening into each other and detonating. Zagreus grins wickedly and notes Thanatos’s tiny, weary smile in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When all’s said and done, Zagreus wins by three kills.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The bow is cheating.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How is the bow cheating?” Zagreus cries, clutching the body of Coronacht and its unending quiver close to his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s borrowed. Or worse, it’s stolen. A stolen weapon used to fight the titans themselves. Beat me with your own sword and we’ll call it fair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a promise I’ll see you again soon?” Zagreus asks, trying and likely daily to keep any pleading notes out of his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thanatos sighs but there’s no malice, a fond smile playing on his lips. “I suppose so.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>edit to add that not 3 hours after i posted this I got a dialogue from Than that said basically exactly what he said here. Apparently I'm just that good at characterization lmao.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>